The day M disappeared
by Processqueen
Summary: Mallory is gone, kidnapped. Bond finds him at last. A work now complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Tanner was getting restless, his boss was late and he was running out of excuses. Flat tire, he had said when the people at the foreign office had asked about the whereabouts of M. For some reason unknown to Tanner people always expected that he knew where his boss was.

Fifteen minutes late. Bill was getting worried. He excused himself and went in the hallway. He tried phoning Mallory. He was greeted by neglect. There was no answer. Bill tried Moneypenny instead.

"Mallory has not showed to that meeting with the foreign office. He doesn't answer his phone. I'm worried." Bill said.

"I'll have Q track him down. It's propably nothing".

"I know. The natives are getting restless around here. It's not like him to not show up".

 _Hq_

Eve thought that Tanner was overreacting. It could just be traffic. Just to be on the safe side she had Q to track down the boss. Even she got worried when Q said: "There is no signal."

"There got to be one. Tanners going to have a breakdown".

"Don't we all?" Q said druly. "Last recorded signal is from last night".

"Shit". Eve said and dialed Bill.

 _Foreign office_

"The signal disappeared last night".

"I'll be there in ten". Bill said.

"Mr. Tanner". Someone called from the meeting room.

"I have to go". Tanner said and ended the call.

"I'm sorry but we seem to have a crisis on our hands. I'm needed elsewhere". Tanner said to the crowd.

Tanner called Bond from the car.

"Mallory has disappeared".

"Say again."

"Mallory has disappeared. Last recorded signal is from last night. Could you check his flat for me?"

"I'm on it." There was a brief moment of silence. Tanner was the first to say something.

"We got to find M".


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Bond opened the door to Mallorys flat. He checked it fast. Empty. No Mallory. Everything seemed to be in order. There wasn't any signs of a struggle. Which was unexpected.

Bond typed fast, "Flat is empty, no sign of struggle", and pressed send.

 _Hq_

"Bond checked Mallorys flat. Everything was ok". Tanner informed Q. "Have you checked the surveillance cameras?"

"Yes. Last video of M is this. He comes out of the car and goes inside his building. Nothing special happening the rest of the night".

"He can't just vanish. I'll have 007 check the whole building. I'm off, have to cover for Mallory the rest of the day. Eve can take over for me".

"Alright".


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Gareth Mallory drfited briefly in and out of conciousness. It must be some kind of drug that's wearing of, he thought before he drifted away again. When awake he saw glimpses of his surroundings. Someones sneakers. Dust. A pipeline. He wasn't sure what it all ment. His head was heavy. He was so tired. He drifted away again to darkness.

 _Hq_

Bill was eating lunch, mac and cheese, when Eve approached him.

"The buildings clear".

"Shit".

"What's our next move?"

"Check the tapes again. Maybe they have been tampered with. I don't know whatelse we can do".

"Bond's heading to hq".

"Maybe he can figure this out, alert as always".

"Hmm". Eve said. Bond was good. But was he that good? Tanners trust in that man seemed endless. Eve felt a sting of guilt and envy as she was the freshman of the group.

 _The unknown_

Mallory was awake. Drug was gone from his system. Judging from his surroundings he was in a production facility of some sort. That was a first. He could hear the hizzing sound of pipes beeing pressurized.

He tried moving, it was awkward with his hands tied up behind his back. He got up on his knees, before he stopped. Left side definitely hurt. He breathed deeply. His hand hurt too, he could feel his pulse throbbing, in the flesh wound that came no doubt of someone getting rid of his tracking chip. Not good. Q and Tanner had propably noticed the signal missing and alerted the cavalry by now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Q, stop right there." 007 stated watching the tapes.

"I don't see anything". Q said.

"Take a look at that surface. What's making that shadow?"

"There's nothing there". Eve said studying the picture.

"Q..."

"I'm on it. It seems like someone tampered with the recording. Wait. Almost done. There."

Tanner stared at the screen. There it was. One guy carrying Gareth Mallory like he would had way to much to drink.

"Q, scan it for facial recognition and see if you get a match from our database". Tanner was on fire now. Adrenaline running in his veins. After a long day of darkness, finally there was light. A clue.

"I got a match. His name is Tom Goldman. He..." Q went silent. "works for us".

"What do you mean?" Eve asked disbelieving. Not this again. Not a collegue. Who can you trust if not your co-worker?

"It says here that he works in the archives".

"When has he been to work?" Tanner asked.

"He is here now". Q stated.

Tanner and 007 literally spurted of to the elevator. Bond got there first, pushing buttons. Elevator doors opened and he dashed inside.

"I'll take the stairs" Tanner shouted.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The elevator doors opened for Bond simultaneously with Tanner appearing beside him.

Tom Goldman was in the corridor paying for a soda can when the two men appeared on both sides.

"Hope you have insurance". Tanner said coldly.

"Shit". Goldman just said and stared at him, shocked that the usually neutral man seemed now aggressive.

"Insurance? Hope he has money for a funeral". 007 said.

"What are you guys on about? You must misstake me for someone else, I'm just a pencil pusher". Tom managed to somehow look completely innocent. An performance worthy an Oscar, Tanner thought.

"Out with it". Bond said and grabbed Tom by his collar. "Where is he?".

"I do not know. It wasn't me. I swear."

"We have you on video". Bill said.

"Look, all I know is that someone paid me big bucks to do it". The employee of the month, Tanner thought.

"Who?" James asked thightening his grip and pushing the man harder against the soda machine. "Who?" he demanded.

"I...don't know. I was supposed to drug M and deliver him into a van."

Tanner called Q. "Look for a van".

"If M has a scratch on him, I'll come back for you". 007 said letting go of the archivist. Goldman looked pained.

"Leave him to Mallory." Tanner said. "That'll be fun". Goldman looked like he regretted the day he was born.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter** 6

Q was drinking diet coke, and tracking the vans route from the traffic cameras available. It was dire work. It was getting late when he finally said: "We have a location".

"Yes". Eve said. "Notify Bond, Tanner".

"I'm on it". Q thought about the havoc 007 was about to release upon the world if something had happened to M. And maybe Tanner too. Bill had been very protective of Mallory, could be that he hadn't appreciated Bonds stunt before Skyfall, driving of with the previous M. But Tanner was hard to read.

 _The_ _unknown_

Mallory was getting hungry. And cold. Right leg was numb, asleep. He could feel his arm damp of blood.

He heard footsteps. And suddenly he was starring at a pair of sneakers.

 _Factory_

Tanner had organized a rescue party. It was too much for one man to search the whole factory. Bond was glad to have some back up for once.

 _The unknown_

Mallory could feel someones hands lifting him up from the floor. He had been slumped over for so long that it hurt to get up.

"Your friends are here". His capturer said. "Luckily they'll soon blow up with this facility". He could feel the cold steel of a gun pressed down his neck.

"Walk" his capturer said and pushed him forward.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

James found them first.

"Let him go".

The kidnapper was still holding his boss, pointing a gun at Mallorys neck, showing no signs of complying.

Bond decided to act. He shot the guy.

"Shit". Mallory said.

"You ok, M?" James asked when he opened the restraints and saw the now dried blood.

"I'm alright. He said this place was going to blow up".

Bond called Tanner to warn him. "Possible bomb. Get everybody out. I have M".

\- The end -


End file.
